Pichu is currently ranked 25th, the second last place of the tier list, due to the fact that it has poor range, most people can easily chain throw it despite it being small and being the lightest character in the game (which is another huge flaw), and it takes damage from its own attacks, resulting in abysmal matchups (though it has one favorable matchup, which is against Kirby).

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Attributes

The most noticeable thing about Pichu is its tiny frame: Pichu is the lightest and smallest character in Melee, even lighter than Jigglypuff and Mr. Game & Watch. While this enables it to evade attacks rather well, it flies farther than anyone else when it is hit. It is also easily comboed despite its light weight, due to the long amount of hitstun it suffers.

Being small hurts its range greatly: its physical attacks, while possessing good priority, have extremely poor range. Pichu needs to get very close to do damage, which is a very dangerous place for any character to be. It also has the shortest forward, backward, and tech/ledge roll in the game. Its grab hitbox is the third smallest in the game, another problem. On the upside, its grabs set up many chain throws or combos.

Its electrical attacks help out slightly with range, but each one comes with a catch: Pichu takes damage on using the attack. Simply put, if an electrical hitbox (or that of its non-electric Special Move, Skull Bash) connects with Pichu, it takes "recoil" damage, anywhere from 1-4%. This adds up quickly, as Pichu is lighter than any other character.

This doesn't mean Pichu doesn't have its advantages, though: its KOing power is unusually solid, with three strong smashes and many options to build up damage. Pichu also has the highest item boost in the game, becoming much stronger with any item. Its recovery is very good, it can chaingrab fast fallers with its Up Throw, and it can also tech-chase several characters with its Down Throw. Pichu has two solid projectiles in its Neutral and DownSpecial Moves (Thunder Jolt and Thunder) and an effective SHFFL. As expected, Pichu is rather agile, and it has a shorter landing lag than any other character.

In the end, Pichu is an inferior version of Pikachu, but it has some qualities that may make it worth a look. It has a better grab game, smaller size, and slightly faster movement.

Moveset

Ground Attacks

Normal

Neutral Attack - Jabs its head forward, can chain into itself. Pretty fast and can be L-canceled. 1-2% damage per jab.

Forward Tilt - Shoves both of its feet forward. Low range and knockback, but is a fast move. 8% damage.

Up Tilt - Swipes its tail in an arch above itself. Very low range and somewhat slow, though sets up for aerial combos and follow ups. 6% damage.

Down Tilt - Swipes its tail in front of it. 7% damage.

Dash Attack - Sticks its head out and trips mid-dash. 8% damage.

Smash Attacks

Forward Smash - Launches a short jolt of electricity from its cheeks. Very powerful finisher, KOs at somewhat low %s. Incredible knockback when fully charged, KOs light characters at very low damages near the edge. Several hits that add up to 12% uncharged, 16% fully charged. Always has a 2% damage recoil regardless of charge time.

Special Moves

Trophy Descriptions

In addition to the normal trophy about Pichu as a character, there are two trophies about it as a fighter, unlocked by completing the Adventure and All-Star modes respectively with Pichu on any difficulty:

Pichu

A baby Electric-type Pokémon identifiable by its big ears. Pichu evolves into Pikachu. It's not very skilled at storing up electrical energy and will sometimes discharge it if jarred. Although it's small, it has enough electrical power to give even an adult quite a shock. It's often startled by its own power.

Pokémon Gold & Silver, 10/00

Pichu (Smash Red)

Compared with Pikachu, Pichu is a tad more nimble and a little more difficult to hit. Those are the only two advantages, however, and since Pichu damages itself when it uses electrical attacks, it's best suited for handicapped matches. Even though Pichu's tough to catch, it's easy to throw its tiny frame great distances.

Pichu is the lightest character in Super Smash Bros. Melee, and it's top of the class in weakness, too! For Pichu, it's all about scampering here and there to pick up items that will help it survive. The first warp in Agility causes 1 point of damage to Pichu, and the second causes 3, so try to limit the number of times you use the move.

Costume Gallery

Trivia

Pichu has two taunts: when facing left, it will do a dance, when facing right, it will lie down. This feature is shared with Captain Falcon, Fox, and Falco.

It is also worth noting that while it has two different taunts in Melee, Pichu can't learn the move Taunt in the Pokémon games.

When Pichu crouches, it falls asleep. This is clear because its eyes are closed and bubbles come out of its mouth, similar to when Jigglypuff uses its RestSpecial Move, although Pichu will awake instantly when the player presses any other button.

Other than Super Smash Bros. Melee, or by using Volt Tackle, Pichu had never been hurt by using electrical attacks in other games, although they could faint from overuse of their electricity, as seen in the third Pokémon movie.

Pichu is the only Melee veteran not returning to Brawl to not have any data to be playable in the game (excluding Young Link, who was replaced with Toon Link).

In All-Star Mode, Fourside is Pichu and its partners' home stage. This might be a reference to the Pikachu Short Pikachu & Pichu, where Ash's Pikachu meets the Pichu Brothers in a large and unnamed city.

In Pokémon Red, Blue and Yellow, there was a TM for Skull Bash, which Pikachu could learn. Pichu, however, was not introduced until Gold and Silver, and it is therefore impossible to legally have a Pichu with Skull Bash without trading and breeding.

Pichu is one of the few characters in Smash history to not have a Spike or a Meteor Smash.

Pichu along with Roy and Mr. Game & Watch are the only characters in Melee to have an attack that damages themselves.

When Pichu uses the Cloaking Device, all recoil damage is negated while under its effect, but not when under the effect of the Starman.

Pichu and Mr. Game & Watch were the only characters to ever be lighter than Jigglypuff.

Due to Pichu's ability to utilise Volt Tackle in Super Smash Bros. Melee, which the Pikachu (SSBM) in said game could not perform, and Pikachu (SSBB) from Super Smash Bros. Brawl having the same move, it is theorised that the two games' Pikachu are, in fact, different Pokémon, and that Pichu 'grew up' and evolved into the Pikachu (SSBB) seen in Brawl.

Pichu is the only 2nd Generation Pokemon to be playable in the series.